Figure out what it would cost to really move into that house. Full mortgage payment with taxes and insurance, plus increased utilities, plus maintenance things

Figure out what it would cost to really move into that house. Full mortgage payment with taxes and insurance, plus increased utilities, plus maintenance things like lawn care, HoA dues, etc.. Figure out that total and continue living where you live, but save the difference between living in a house and living at the location you want. All of a sudden a year passes and you have $15k in the bank and you've been walking to work in 10 minutes. As time passes you may find that you have enough saved to make a purchase a bit more luxurious (closer, bigger, whatever you like) than you could before. Or you may find that you like seeing that $15k/year that you now recognize as coming from not moving. I mostly do this with cars. When I pay one off, I keep that car payment going into our "car savings" account. I'm allowed to pay maintenance from it, but that's it. It's amazing how attractive a used/paid off car is when you see the savings against the alternative.